Chapter 5

The scene changed before Piper and Leo's eyes. They were back in the living room. The manor, by no means neat, had no traces of the carnage they had seen in the last glimpse of Chris' life.

Chris was now a year older. He was lying on the sofa watching television when Leo entered the room and shut off the television set.

"Hey!" Chris said. "I was watching that."

"We need to talk," Leo said patiently. "Chris, your school called today."

Chris responded to this by rolling his eyes.

"They said you're still cutting classes," Leo continued. "Chris, this is serious. I'm getting reports that you've been a behavior problem. Your grades are horrible. This isn't like you. You were a straight A student before…"

Chris stared directly at his father. "Before mom died," Chris finished for him. "But she did and it just doesn't matter anymore."

Leo said, "Chris, I know this last year has been hard on you. It's been hard on all of us. And I know I haven't been able to be there for you much."

Chris said, "You weren't there for me a whole lot before Mom died either, Dad."
Leo nodded. "I know. We've had one problem after another with Wyatt since before you were born. In the last year, he has become worse. At least when your mother was alive, there were two of us to look after you both so you didn't feel neglected. With her gone, I feel like I don't have enough to give both of you, and it shows with the behavior problems both of you have been having since your mother died. You both require a lot of attention, more than I can give."

Leo paused before continuing, "Which is why I think it would be best for you if you went to stay with your grandfather for awhile…"
"What?" Chris said, incredulously. "Why me? Why not Wyatt?"

"Victor could never control Wyatt. I can barely control him, he's too powerful. If I don't focus all my energy on him, we could lose him to evil. Besides, you were always closer to your grandfather than Wyatt."

"I don't believe this," Chris pouted, shaking his head. "Your choosing Wyatt over me…"
"It's not that simple," Leo said. "You know that…"

"Yeah, sure! Because Wyatt is twice blessed all powerful most special person ever to walk the planet! And I was just a mistake that got his leftovers!"

"That's not true at all, Chris."

Chris dropped his head, his eyes becoming misty. Calmer, his voice quivering, he pleaded, "Please don't send me away, Dad."
"I'm sorry, Son," Leo apologized, racked with guilt. "This is for your own good."

Chris became angry, wiping away the tears that threatened to form. "Fine! Whatever!" he shouted before storming off.

As they watched from the sidelines, Piper consoled Leo, who was feeling the burden of guilt for something he had not even done yet.

"You had no choice, Leo," Piper said, just before they were transported to another scene from Chris' life.